New York City to expand businesses subject to organic waste requirements

A provision set to become law authorizes the city to require venues, retail and food service businesses, among others, to divert food scraps from disposal. 

By Jacob Wallace • July 10, 2026

DOE wants to ‘permanently end’ appliance efficiency requirements

A proposed rule would create an “obstacle course of restrictions” bogging down the Department of Energy’s appliance efficiency program, a consumer advocate said.

By Robert Walton • Updated July 2, 2026

New York gas appliance ban upheld

The state has said it won’t enforce the ban until appeals are complete. That creates a window for the Supreme Court to weigh in if it’s asked to close a split between this ruling and one in California shutting down a similar ban.

By Robert Freedman • July 2, 2026

ASHRAE to tackle data centers, thermal systems at annual conference

The engineering society’s annual meeting, starting this weekend in Austin, Texas, will have programs on managing energy costs and integrating energy storage projects, among others.

By Joe Burns • June 26, 2026

Allowing guns in stores is the default, Supreme Court says

In shooting down a Hawaii law, the top court puts the onus on owners of public-facing private property to say guns are prohibited if they want to keep their property gun-free.

By Robert Freedman • June 26, 2026

DOJ intervenes on behalf of xAI in data center gas turbine lawsuit

The Department of Defense said the xAI data center powered by the gas plant is critical to national security, revealing Grok was used to fire thousands of missiles in the Iran war.

By Diana DiGangi • June 22, 2026

Major commercial real estate brokers, CoStar hit with antitrust lawsuit

CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers and Newmark were all named as alleged conspirators in a price-fixing scheme via CoStar’s sharing real-time, confidential, property-level lease transaction data.

By Joe Burns • June 18, 2026

Companies are struggling to integrate climate resilience enterprise-wide

While they increasingly are aware of physical climate risk, companies find it difficult to turn that recognition into climate resilience, according to a new paper.

By Lamar Johnson • June 18, 2026

Demand-response programs can lower utility bills, but beware of on-site power restrictions, experts say

Virginia passed a law encouraging utilities to offer big power users the opportunity to participate in load-shedding programs, but for facilities, signing up is not an easy decision.

By Robert Freedman • Updated June 15, 2026

Non-condensing furnace, water heater ban goes back to appeals court. What’s next?

The top court agreed with the Trump administration that Biden-era rules effectively eliminating non-condensing gas furnaces and water heaters from the market are based on an incomplete legal review.

By Robert Freedman • June 9, 2026

Vulnerabilities discovered in Trane, Vertiv data center products

The companies are addressing the risks with updates, according to Team82 of cybersecurity company Claroty, which found and shared the vulnerabilities with the companies.  

By Joe Burns • Updated June 10, 2026

Maine becomes first state to enact EPR waste collection for vapes, with impact on retail facilities

As part of increased collection, recycling and disposal options for vape pens, retail facilities that sell vapes will need to partcipate as collection locations. 

By Megan Quinn • June 3, 2026

Kennedy Center closure for renovation was facilities chief’s idea, according to court testimony

In his Friday ruling requiring President Donald Trump to remove his name from the arts institution, Judge Christopher Cooper calls the board’s approval of the closure an “ill-informed and seemingly preordained decision.”

By Robert Freedman • June 1, 2026

Measurabl, USGBC California launch building performance dashboard

Facility managers can now track the energy, carbon and water-use performance of buildings across the state in one place, the organizations say. 

By Joe Burns • May 28, 2026

Grocery trade groups praise EPA’s slower refrigeration phase-out

The agency extended compliance deadlines for the use of hydrofluorocarbons, drawing approval from FMI and the National Grocers Association.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • May 28, 2026

EPA rule delaying refrigerant phase-outs will raise costs, critics say

In its effort to address “stranded inventory,” the Trump administration is creating demand for products that are no longer being produced, which is a recipe for higher prices, say industry groups.

By Robert Freedman • May 26, 2026

Boston’s BERDO emissions deadline has been extended — but prompt action is building operators’ best move

Missing the deadline could result in daily fines of up to $300 for each building and imperil the building’s ability to benefit from flexibility provisions. 

By Erin Camp • May 19, 2026

A2L refrigerant transition: Keep your legacy system running or prepare for time-consuming changes, expert says

The discontinuation of refrigerants with high global warming potential means high costs and long wait times for equipment retrofits or replacements, a Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US specialist says.

By Joe Burns • Updated May 27, 2026

Refrigerant leaks to cost Kroger $2.5M in fines, $100M for appliance upgrades

The grocery chain has two years to upgrade 600 refrigeration units under a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency.

By Robert Freedman • May 14, 2026

How AI is helping legacy HVAC systems meet New York City’s emissions standards

Sensors can help reduce emissions by 22% and uncover issues keeping facilities from meeting Local Law 97, a vice president of a New York City-based energy management firm says.

By Joe Burns • May 8, 2026

Billions in battery tax credits hinge on FEOC compliance

In the near term, complying with foreign entity of concern restrictions will slow energy storage decision-making, but over time it will reward organizations that can operationalize compliance.

By Ravi Manghani • April 30, 2026

JLL launches healthcare facility accreditation program

The program mirrors standards rolled out by the Joint Commission, which is the main accreditor of medical facilities, to help operators meet new continuous surveying requirements. 

By Joe Burns • April 24, 2026

Labor Department proposes new joint employer rule

The rule would create “a single nationwide standard” for the Fair Labor Standards Act and other laws, the U.S. Department of Labor said.

By Ginger Christ • April 23, 2026

OSHA extends heat emphasis program

The previous initiative lapsed on April 8, but two days later, the safety agency announced an updated outreach, resource and inspection program that will run through 2031.

By Zachary Phillips • April 17, 2026

NYC launches concierge-style service, enhanced web tools to aid Local Law 97 compliance

The Momentum service provides building operators with live support and tools to help them comply with LL97, plan retrofits, estimate penalties and determine emission reductions, the city says.

By Joe Burns • April 15, 2026